Ambassador Wahid: Muslims in Russia Growing up

Jakarta, MINA – The Ambassador of Indonesia to Russia and the Republic of Belarus for the 2016-2020 term, Muhamad Wahid Supriyadi said Islam in Russia is the second largest religion after Orthodox Christianity, which is around 21-28 million people or 15-20 percent of the 142 million population.

“The life of Muslims in Russia today is improving when compared to the previous Communist rule,” said Ambassador Wahid to MINA in an exclusive interview on Saturday in Jakarta.

Ambassador Wahid who has also served in the United Arab Emirates and Australia added that for the first time in Russian history, the Russian leader (Vladimir Putin) included a Muslim minister in his cabinet and acknowledged the existence of Russian Muslims.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is well known to the Russian people, especially those who have experienced President Soekarno’s visit to his country in the mid-1950s.

“President Soekarno has left a good legacy and Indonesia is seen as a good friend for Russia,” said Wahid. (T/Hju/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)